ARASHK

"Sovereign" from 2007 comes across as an album filled with ideas still in their initial phase, planned and recorded perhaps before the ideas had been investigated in detail. Many fine ideas and sketches explore a blend of eastern sounding traditional music and dark-toned progressive metal with roots more firmly based on Anglo-American traditions. But on the occasions where the compositions appear to be more thoroughly assembled the end result is intriguing, if instrumental progressive metal of this variety sounds enticing to you. As such this is a disc that comes with a partial recommendation.

Progressive metal is the name of the game here, but in a manner I suspect few have ever heard before - if any. From the opening classical symphonic number you just know that you're in for something special here; and as the compositions come one after the other, blending Arask' pretty distinct guitar sound and quirky drum and riff patterns with violin soloing and dark synths, this band really takes it's listener on a ride.

The compositions are short, but explore several themes, and also have the time to revisit quite a few of them. Without ever becoming predictable, and taking care to add in the odd dissonant or arhytmic segment, the gritty guitars and swirling violins create stunning contrasts - and quite often exotic sounding flurries adds some sice to the proceedings as well.

It's an instrumental album though, which will limit it's audience a bit. Still, cleary an album to get if innovative and creative music in a prog metal style sounds intriguing.

On their debut album Abrahadabra they have made some fascinating instrumental explorations, mainly with a combination of melodic riffing and guitar soloing underscored by bass, drums, guitar riffs and the occasional use of synths. The style is mostly rock based of a progressive variety, but the at times extremely distorted guitar sounds sees to it that the metal tag will be seen as just as fitting by many listeners.

The instrumental explorations here are interesting and fascinating; with less impact of the music from the region that you could suspect; but the soundscapes produced are highly original and not like anything else I'm familiar with.

Fans of instrumental rock should definitely check this one out.